The Clay County Sheriff's Department is mourning the loss of one of its two police dogs.

Indy, whose human handler is Deputy Scott Steffes, was put to sleep Friday after being diagnosed with a tumor on his spleen, Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist said Monday in a written statement.

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Steffes and his family were with Indy when he was put to sleep, Bergquist said.

Indy was born in Czech Republic in 1999 and imported to the United States in 2002 to be trained as a K-9 officer. That is the same country where Hubbard County authorities obtained its K-9 dog Vulcan in 2008.

In 2002, Indy was purchased by the Sheriff's Department and went to live with the Steffes family.

Bergquist listed a number of awards given to Indy, including "Top Dog" honors in 2003 canine trials and a first-place trophy for suspect search at regional trials in Moorhead in 2005.

Bergquist said Indy could be very aggressive when ordered to be, but also a big lovable pet during his off time.